Punch mechanism for modifying cigarette machine magazines

ABSTRACT

Punching apparatus is disclosed in which a punch carried on a slidable member passes through a companion die element for punching out segments from a metal sheet, the slidable member being selectively connectable by means of a link to a power operated ram and lever assembly to produce the necessary punching force in the punch. By disconnecting the link from the power operated lever, the slidable member can be slid freely to permit placement or positioning of the punch behind a cigarette vending machine magazine wall to punch out a segment of said wall when modifying the magazine to accomodate larger sized cigarette packages than for which said magazine was designed.

Devilbiss Dec. 16, 1975 PUNCH MECHANISM FOR MODIFYING CIGARETTE MACHINE MAGAZINES [75] Inventor: Roy J Devilbiss, Richmond, Va.

[73] Assignee: Philip Morris Inc., New York, NY.

[22] Filed: July 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 486,301

[52] US. Cl. 30/362 [51] Int. Cl. B26F 1/00 [58] Field of Search 30/358, 360, 361, 362; 83/384, 386, 559, 560

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,462,559 7/1923 Leschhorn 83/560 1,475,828 7/1922 Holmes 83/686 2,529,895 11/1950 Anderson 30/362 2,538,613 l/195l Alvino 30/358 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS l,l29,036 5/1962 Germany 30/362 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant E.ranzinerRobert C. Watson Attorney, Agent, or F irm watson Leavenworth Kelton & Taggart [5 7] ABSTRACT Punching apparatus is disclosed in which a punch carried on a slidable member passes through a companion die element for punching out segments from a metal sheet, the slidable member being selectively connectable by means of a link to a power operated ram and lever assembly to produce the necessary punching force in the punch. By disconnecting the link from the power operatedlever, the slidable member can be slid freely to permit placement or positioning of the punch behind a cigarette vending machine magazine wall to punch out a segment of said wall when modifying the magazine to accomodate larger sized cigarette packages than for which said magazine was designed.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 4 3,925,891

"U.S. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet20f4 3,925,891

US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet30f4 3,925,891

US, Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet4of4 3,925,891

PUNCH MECHANISM FOR MODIFYING CIGARETTE MACHINE MAGAZINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to punching apparatus generally useable for removing an edge segment from a sheet member in an existing structure in which it is necessary to position either the die element or the punch behind the sheet preliminary to the punching operation. In particular, the punching apparatus is intended for use in connection with field modification of the magazines of cigarette vending machines to permit adaptation of such machines for use with larger sized cigarette packages than such machines were originally designed to hold. A more particular use of the punching apparatus of the present invention is in connection with effecting the vending machine conversion procedure set forth in the application of John Goldenstein entitled Conversion of Cigarette Vending Machines to Hold Outsized Cigarette Packages filed June 21, 1974, now US. Pat. No. 3,871,059 which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with punching apparatus specifically designed for use in connection with modifying cigarette vending machine magazines. Accordingly, its description will be given in terms of its use for that purpose and in effecting removal of segments of sheet steel from magazine wall structure. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus has wider utility and can be used for other punching operations involving relatively rigid materials.

The punching apparatus provided by the present invention is intended to be portable in character, and readily and quickly useable in field conversion of cigarette vending machine magazines. The apparatus comprises an elongated frame provided advantageously as an assembled structure including spaced apart side frame walls with there being carried at one end of the frame a mounting block in an upper portion of which is received a slidable carrier member, one end of the carrier member having a punch fixed thereto. A die element is carried at a lower portion of the mounting block and is used in cooperation with the punch to efiect removal of a segment from a sheet placed against the die element when the punch passes through the die element adjacent a predetermined shear surface on said element. Desirably the carrier member is supported in the mounting block for sliding straight line travel longitudinally of the frame, and an elongated link is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the other end of the carrier member. Means are provided for applying a substantially straight line stroking force in the direction in which the carrier member slides, with such stroking means including a power operated ram carried at the other end of the frame, a lever carried in the frame and pivoted intermediate its ends for rotative movement about an axis extending substantially transverse to the travel course of the carrier member with the other end of the link being selectively connectable to one end of the lever. The power operated ram is operably engageable with the other end of the lever for applying a rotative force to the lever about the said axis. The arrangement of the carrier, member and die element is such that when the carrier member is slid from a first position in which the punch is spaced outwardly a distance from the said one end of the frame to a second position in which the. punch is spaced inwardly a distance from said one end of said frame, a punching operation is effected. The other end of said lever also is connected to a tension spring carried on the frame member at the other end thereof, the tension spring normally applying a biasing force to the lever tending to rotate it about the pivot axis in a predetermined direction. When the other end of the link is selectively connected to the first-mentioned end of the lever and the power ram operated, the lever is rotated in an opposite direction and punching force is transmitted to the carrier member sliding it and the punch from first to second positions thereby efiecting removal of a segment of the sheet.

In operation of the apparatus, the link, if necessary, is disconnected from the lever to permit the carrier member to slide freely in the mounting block, and the carrier member is then slid to its first position. The apparatus is then positioned such that the punch is disposed at one side of the sheet from which the segment is-to be punched with the die element being located at the other side'of such sheet, the carrier member, e.g., being lifted over the edge of the sheet to effect the necessary positioning. The carrier member then can be slid by hand from its first position towards its second position to the extent necessary to bring the punch into contact with the sheet at one side, the apparatus also being positioned to insure that the die element is in contact with the other side of the sheet. Such sliding also is made to permit connection of the link with the upper end of the lever. The power operated ram is then operated to stroke the piston rod therein against the lower end of the lever and cause it to rotate against the biasing effect of the tension spring effecting sliding of the carrier member and causing the punch to pass through the die element with resultant punching out of a segment of the sheet.

The shape of the segment to be punched from the sheet can be varied in accordance with the purpose at hand but in conjunction with the modification of the cigarette vending machine, the die element is provided with a generally rectangularly configured shear surface and a correspondingly complementally configured punch member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of punching apparatus made in accordance with the present invention, the slidably mounted carrier member being shown in its first position in which the punch .at one end thereof is spaced outwardly a distance from one end of the frame, additionally the link which is pivotally connected to the other end of the carrier member being shown in its unlatched or unconnected position.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the punching apparatus depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view partly in section, depicting the manner in which the punching apparatus is used for modifying a cigarette vending machine magazine, the punch being shown positioned behind the DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the punching apparatus includes an elongated frame 12 which conveniently is provided as an assembled structure including spaced apart vertical frame walls 14 and 16. Suitable structure for interconnecting the side frame walls 14 and 16 such as screws, spacer sleeves, and the like is provided being shown generally at 18. Fixedly mounted at one end of the frame 12 and extending between the frame walls'14 and 16 is a mounting block 20 of suitable configuration, the mounting block including an upper portion 22 which is slotted for the sliding reception therein of an elongated carrier member 24. The lower portion 26 of the mounting block 20 includes an end face 28 in which is formed a die element, the die element having a shear surface 30 of predetermined configuration in correspondence to the shape of the segment to be punched from the sheet. At one end of the carrier member 24 there is provided a punch shown generally at 32 which punch depends downwardly from the said carrier member one end towards the lower portion of the mounting block structure, the punch including a punch face portion 36 extending in the direction of the other end of the elongated carrier and as best seen in FIG. 2, the punch face is tapered to facilitate penetration thereof through the sheet material, said punch face portion 36 being complementally receivable in the die element.

At the other end of the elongated carrier member 24, there is pivotally connected thereto an elongated link 40, the'link being hook-shaped at its opposite end, the bit 42 of the hook being, as will be described in detail below, adapted for reception on the upper end of lever 44 to thus transmit punching force to the elongated carrier member during the punching operation. Additionally, and as will appear, the elongated link member 40 permits the utilization of the punch in a manner as permits the elongated carrier member to be slid freely within the mounting block rightwardly in FIG. 1 to permit the punching apparatus to be disposed on an upper edge of a sheet member without such sliding being under the constraint of the soon to be described power operated ram unit and associated power transmitting devices. In this fashion the power applying member or stroking means need not include a stroking member having an excessively long stroking length. Such would be the case if there was direct and fixed connection of the elongated carrier member to the lever 44. The apparatus also includes a power operated ram unit shown generally at 50. Said ram unit includes a cylinder 52, a piston (not shown) within the cylinder and a rod 54 connectedto the piston. The outer end of the rod 54 as will be described shortly is used for producing the punching pressure at the punch 32. Lever 44 is pivoted in the frame intermediate its ends for rotation about an axis disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis of the frame member, there being prointended to be selectively connected with one end with the link 40 and for whichpu'rpose'the upper end of lever 44 is provided with a laterally directed pin 58 to which the link 40 can be selectively latched by receiving its bight 42 on the pin. The other end of the lever 44 is connected with tension springs 62 with the springs also being connected to the frame structure as at 64. Accordingly, a certain bias normally is applied to the lever 44 tending to rotate it clockwise as seen in FIG. 3. The elongated carrier member 24 is intended in use of the apparatus to be slid between a first position as shown in FIG. 3 in which the punch 32 is spaced outwardly a distance from the right hand end of the frame, to a second position in which the punch is spaced inwardly a distance of said frame end with the punch passing through the die element adjacent the shear surface 34 on the latter for applying punching force to a sheet positioned against the die element during movement from the first to second position. The die element as will be noted in FIG. 1, has at the face of the lower portion of the mounting block projections 66 which are intended to cooperate with and be received in companion indentations on the sheet material to be punched with the apparatus, such indentations, for example, being found on the bottom wall of a cigarette vending machine magazine structure.

The manner in which the apparatus is intended to be used is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 which show fragmentary elevational sectional views of a cigarette vending machine magazine 70 in which it is desired to modify one of the magazine columns to take a larger size cigarette package. In FIGS. 4 and 5 and as in practice in the procedure used in making field modification to such machine, the magazine is removed from the machine temporarily and placed on its side so that the bottom wall 72 of the magazine is in the vertical position shown. The punching apparatus 10 is then positioned in front of the upstanding bottom wall of the magazine, the link member 40 is rotated clockwise to unlatch it from the end of lever 44, and the elongated carrier member 24 is slid to the right to its first position. The apparatus then picked up and lifted over the edge 74 of the bottom wall of the cigarette vending machine magazine in order to position the punch face behind the bottom wall structure. For this purpose a T-shaped handle 76 is removably receivable in the upper portion of mounting block 20. The apparatus is then set down on the floor or other work area where the modification is being effected with the punch positioned behind the rear wall and the face 22 of the die element in contact with the other or outer face of the magazine bottom wall. The elongated carrier member 24 can then be slid to the left to bring the punch 36 into contact with the inner face of the magazine bottom wall 72 and the link 40 is then pivoted counterclockwise to latch its hookshaped end on the pin 58 at the upper end of lever 44. The power operated ram unit 50 is then placed in operation, the ram in the illustrated embodiment being a hydraulically operated unit. The operation of the ram unit strokes the piston rod 54 thereof to the right as shown in FIG. 5 causing the lever 44 to rotate counterclockwise and pull the punch through the die element shearing or punching from the vending machine bottom wall a segment 80 of metal. Following the punching operation which can be accomplished in less than a minute, the pressure in the power operated ram is released and the springs 62 return the ram piston rod 54 to the left with there occurring concurrent return stroking of the elongated carrier member to the right. The apparatus is pulled away from the magazine leaving a slotted opening in the magazine bottom wall.

The use of the punch for the particular purpose of modifying a cigarette vending machine magazine makes it possible to effect modification to these vending machines in the field in a very short period of time. For example, as many as fifteen separate columns in a cigarette vending machine can be modified in about thirty minutes.

What is claimed is:

1. Punching apparatus for removing segments of predetermined configuration from a sheet, said apparatus comprising an elongated frame,

a die element fixed to one end of said frame, said die element having a shear surface of predetermined configuration corresponding to the shape of the segment to be punched from the sheet,

an elongated carrier member having a punch fixed to one end thereof, said punch being complementally configured with said die element shear surface, said carrier member being supported on said frame for sliding straight line travel from a first position in which the punch at the said one end thereof is spaced outwardly a distance from the said one end of said frame to a second position in which the punch is spaced inwardly a distance from said one end of said frame, said punch when slid from said first to said second position passing through said die element adjacent said shear surface for applying punching force to a sheet positioned against said die element,

an elongated link pivotally connected at one of its ends to the other end of said carrier member, and

means for applying substantially straight line stroking force in the direction in which said carrier member slides when moving from its first to second position, the other end of said link being selectively connectable to said stroking means in force transmitting relationship therewith, said stroking means being effective to transmit a punching force through said link to said punch which is sufficient to shear a segment from said sheet,

the stroking means comprising a lever carrier in said frame and pivoted intermediate its ends for rotative movement about an axis extending substantially transversely of the travel course of said carrier member, the said other end of said link being selectively connectable to one end of said lever, biasing means engaged with the other end of said lever tending to rotate same about said axis in a predetermined direction, and a power operated ram operably engageable with the said other end of said lever for rotating same about said axis in an opposite direction counter to the action of said biasing means whereby when said link is connected with said one end of said lever and said ram is operated, said carrier member is slid from its first to second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said power operated ram is carried at the other end of said frame and includes a piston rod engageable with the said other end of said lever and being strokable in the direction of the first-mentioned end of said frame for rotating said lever in said opposite direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a tension spring connected to said other end of said lever and to. said frame.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the said other end of said link is hook-shaped, the bight of said hook being receivable on the said one end of said lever for selectively connecting said link therewith.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 in which the said one end of said lever is provided with a laterally extending pin for latchingly receiving the bight of said hook at the other end of said link.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said frame com: prises elongated spaced apart frame walls, a mounting block fixed with and extending between said frame walls at said frame one end, said carrier member being slidably carried in said mounting block in an upper portion thereof, said die element being carried at a lower portion of said mounting block, said punch depending from said carrier member downwardly toward said lower block portion, said punch having a punch face extending in direction of the other end of said carrier member, said mounting block lower portion having an end face, said shear surface being at said end face, said end face being provided with projections adjacent said shear surface: for reception thereagainst of companion identations on the sheet material to be positioned against said die element. 

1. Punching apparatus for removing segments of predetermined configuration from a sheet, said apparatus comprising an elongated frame, a die element fixed to one end of said frame, said die element having a shear surface of predetermined configuration corresponding to the shape of the segment to be punched from the sheet, an elongated carrier member having a punch fixed to one end thereof, said punch being complementally configured with said die element shear surface, said carrier member being supported on said frame for sliding straight line travel from a first position in which the punch at the said one end thereof is spaced outwardly a distance from the said one end of said frame to a second position in which the punch is spaced inwardly a distance from said one end of said frame, said punch when slid from said first to said second position passing through said die element adjacent said shear surface for applying punching force to a sheet positioned against said die element, an elongated link pivotally connected at one of its ends to the other end of said carrier member, and means for applying substantially straight line stroking force in the direction in which said carrier member slides when moving from its first to second position, the other end of said link being selectively connectable to said stroking means in force transmitting relationship therewith, said stroking means being effective to transmit a punching force through said link to said punch which is sufficient to shear a segment from said sheet, the stroking means comprising a lever carrier in said frame and pivoted intermediate its ends for rotative movement about an axis extending substantially transversely of the travel course of said carrier member, the said other end of said link being selectively connectable to one end of said lever, biasing means engaged with the other end of said lever tending to rotate same about said axis in a predetermined direction, and a power operated ram operably engageable with the said other end of said lever for rotating same about said axis in an opposite direction counter to the action of said biasing means whereby when said link is connected with said one end of said lever and said ram is operated, said carrier member is slid from its first to second position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said power operated ram is carried at the other end of said frame and includes a piston rod engageable with the said other end of said lever and being strokable in the direction of the first-mentioned end of said frame for rotating said lever in said opposite direction.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a tension spring connected to said other end of said lever and to said frame.
 4. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the said other end of said link is hook-shaped, the bight of said hook being receivable on the said one end of said lever for selectively connecting said link therewith.
 5. Apparatus of claim 4 in which the said one end of said lever is provided with a laterally extending pin for latchingly receiving the bight of said hook at the other end of said link.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said frame comprises elongated spaced apart frame walls, a mounting block fixed with and extending between said frame walls at said frame one end, said carrier member being slidably carried in said mounting block in an upper portion thereof, said die element being carried at a lower portion of said mounting block, said punch depending from said carrier member downwardly toward said lower block portion, said punch having a punch face extending in direction of the other end of said carrier member, said mounting block lower portion having an end face, said shear surface being at said end face, said end face being provided with projections adjacent said shear surface for reception thereagainst of companion identations on the sheet material to be positioned against said die element. 